Shaq Praises Rihanna's Super Bowl Halftime Performance, Buries Haters

Rihanna's performance at Super Bowl LVII was polarizing, to say the least, but count Shaq as someone who thought it was great.

The NBA legend and Papa John's Shaq-A-Roni pizza namesake said that everyone critical of Rihanna's performance needs to "shut the f--k up."

"All you people disrespecting my Rihanna, shut your face. Shut it up," he said on his The Big Podcast. "I was there — it was beautiful. She did a great job. I didn't know she was pregnant until she bust out, but leave this lady alone."

I mean, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but all I saw were more winter coats than in a Columbia Sportswear catalog.

Former NBA star, broadcaster, IcyHot spokesperson, and Papa John's pizza franchise owner pretends to DJ during the Super Bowl LVII weekend festivities. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Shaq Had A Message For Rihanna Haters

"Rihanna," Shaq said, loudly clapping directly into the microphone with his giant hands that can palm an NBA basketball like it's a naval orange. "Thank you, that was my first time ever seeing you perform. You did a great job; I love you."

His co-host chimed in with a throwaway line about Rihanna having "hits on hits" before The Big Diesel sent a message to the haters.

"All you people that got something to say, shut the f--k up. How about that?"

Yeah, how about that?

I wasn't a fan of the halftime show (also, I can't for the life of me figure out where this reverence for Rihanna came from). I'm not mad about it though, because I know knew the halftime show isn't for me.

The two halves of football that surround the halftime show are for me.

It was a big ol' "meh" from me. Wasn't great, but didn't hurt anything either (I will concede that got pretty excited when Nuno Bettencourt from Extreme was onstage. That was pretty cool because that dude can shred).

Whatever your take on the show is, it certainly did its job as far as getting people talking... I'm sure sales of white parkas are through the roof too.

Follow on Twitter: @Matt_Reigle